{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,16]],"date-time":"2026-02-16T10:15:47Z","timestamp":1771236947198,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":69,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,13]],"date-time":"2026-02-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770940800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":12,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,1]],"date-time":"2026-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769904000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Biochem &amp;amp; Molecular Tox"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Environmental contamination by hazardous metals poses significant risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) induce oxidative stress (OS) through the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in behavioural, biochemical, genetic, and histological damage. To evaluate the protective efficacy of ascorbic acid (AA) against acute Cd, Hg, and Pb toxicity in\n                    <jats:italic>Heteropneustes fossilis<\/jats:italic>\n                    using an integrated behavioural, biochemical, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity assessment framework, focusing on its antioxidant properties and ability to scavenge free radicals, we used an integrated behavioural, biochemical, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity assessment framework. Adult\n                    <jats:italic>H. fossilis<\/jats:italic>\n                    were randomly allocated into treatment groups (\n                    <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009=\u200910\/group) and exposed for 96\u2009h to Cd (50.4\u2009mg\/L), Hg (0.70\u2009mg\/L), Pb (280.04\u2009mg\/L), AA (100\u2009mg\/L), or metal + AA combinations. Blinded observers recorded behavioural and histological outcomes. Biochemical and oxidative stress markers (SOD, CAT, GSH, MDA, AChE) were quantified using validated assays. Data were tested for normality (Shapiro\u2013Wilk), outliers, and homogeneity of variance, followed by a one\u2010way ANOVA with post hoc multiple comparisons (Tukey). Results are reported as mean\u2009\u00b1\u2009SEM. AChE activity showed a significant increase in Cd\u2010 and Hg\u2010exposed groups (\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009&lt;\u20090.05), confirming neurotoxicity, whereas AA co\u2010treatment restored values toward control levels, likely through its free radical scavenging activity. Antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH) were significantly reduced across the Cd, Hg, and Pb groups (\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009&lt;\u20090.01), while MDA levels were elevated, indicating lipid peroxidation. No significant differences were observed between the control, AA alone, and HMs\u2009+\u2009AA groups for most biochemical markers, indicating that AA plays a protective role by mitigating oxidative damage. Micronucleus test results showed a marked increase in micronuclei frequency in all HMs groups (\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), with a significant reduction after AA co\u2010exposure, suggesting genoprotective effects. Histopathological alterations in gills, liver, kidney, and brain were pronounced in metal\u2010exposed fish but minimal when co\u2010treated with AA. Ascorbic acid significantly mitigates heavy metal\u2013induced neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and tissue damage in\n                    <jats:italic>H. fossilis<\/jats:italic>\n                    . These findings support AA as a potent bioactive antioxidant capable of reducing acute heavy metal toxicity in fish, with potential relevance for other aquatic species.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/jbt.70728","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,13]],"date-time":"2026-02-13T13:52:14Z","timestamp":1770990734000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Role of Ascorbic Acid in Mitigating Oxidative Stress and Mutagenicity Induced by Heavy Metals Toxicity in\n                    <i>Heteropneustes fossilis<\/i>\n                    . L"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"40","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-5587-3511","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anuj","family":"Kumar","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Toxicololgy Lab School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology (SLSBT) Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) Kanpur Uttar Pradesh India"},{"name":"Parasitology Research Lab, Department of Zoology D.A\u2010V (P.G) College, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) Kanpur Uttar Pradesh India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-9563-0615","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shalini","family":"Gupta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Toxicololgy Lab School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology (SLSBT) Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) Kanpur Uttar Pradesh India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2195-0836","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Deepak Kumar","family":"Dwivedi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology Research Lab, Department of Zoology D.A\u2010V (P.G) College, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) Kanpur Uttar Pradesh India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3895-9914","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vinod Kumar","family":"Verma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1201\/9781315153353-11"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoenv.2007.08.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0045-6535(03)00106-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17485\/ijst\/2016\/v9i8\/82144"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.emcon.2023.100244"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0300-9629(90)90121-8"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2754\/avb199766040249"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11270-021-05274-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_10_1","first-page":"235","article-title":"Effect of Polluted Water on H. 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